Once in awhile you hear about someone going to see a movie a second time in the theater. A little less often will you end up going to a movie three times in a theater. I’ve only done it twice.
One was something of an accident; I saw Batman Begins twice due to a weekday discount. A third time I saw the movie in a cheap theater for $2 on a rainy night after my 4th evening of no electricity at home. Even then, I meant to see Fantastic Four, but after enduring that for 15 minutes I left and noted that Batman was beginning.
The other time was my first experience with a movie by Studio Ghibli and its co-founder Hayao Miyazaki. I went to an evening showing of Spirited Away at the Uptown Theater in Minneapolis. After two hours of a fantastical story via hand-drawn animation on a large screen, I almost got back in line afterward for the second showing of the evening — however I realizied I wouldn’t make it to work in time that night. I went back a few weeks later when I had a free afternoon and finally took my sister out for her birthday just before it received an Oscar nomination (and eventual honor).
Studio Ghibli is a movie company based in Japan that has become the gold standard of animation worldwide. When Ghibli and Miyazaki are discussed in American media they are often called “The Walt Disney of Japan,” which is a little misleading. True, Ghibli makes films that easily compare to the best of Disney’s fine works in its early years and the early 90s revival. However, around the time Disney started making sequels of 50 year old movies Ghibli was smashing attendance records and sales in Japan. It was also around this time that Pixar began to overshadow its then-partner in terms of creativity and quality. In fact, folks at Pixar are known for heaping praise on Ghibli and admit to watching their films when stumped on a project. At this point, it’s safe to say that Pixar is the American version of Ghibli. Pixar’s John Lasseter and Ghibli’s Miyazaki are good friends, and under Lasseter’s watch many of Ghibli’s movies were adapted into English and distributed into in the United States. Ghibli even made a documentary titled Thank You, John Lasseter after the movie Spirited Away was given its Oscar.
Ghibli began in the mid-80s as a venture between longtime animators Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. Over the years the Studio has produced 16 feature-length films and numerous other shorter works. Over the years their films have had a few common themes:
- Female Protagonist. Like a good English fantasy story, Ghibli often relies on girls and young women to be the main characters. However, they are rarely damsels in distress or if they are they rarely stay that way for too long. In Spirited Away, 10-year-old Chihiro starts out as a sullen, bratty child forced to move away from friends. As she finds herself lost in a world where her parents are turned to pigs, she gains the strength and confidence to save both her parents and a young boy she befriends along the way. In Nausciaa, the title character is an intelligent, strong, and peace-loving princess.
- Flying. Miyazaki in particular is a fan of aviation and airplanes, and flying seems to make a way into many of his films. In one of his films, Nausicaa, his heroine is seen flying a glider throughout the movie. Another has his main character, a human-looking pig, as a fighter in WWI, and yet another features a young witch whose only powers are flying on a broom. Of course, all of this flight gives the directors a chance to create some rather impressive scenes.
- Ecology/Enviromentalism. Even if it’s just in a side-story, strongly stated enviromentalist themes are present in Ghibli’s work. While rarely preachy in film, Miyazaki has mentioned a few times that he fears what man is doing to their own planet. Ghibli movies have featured animals rebelling against overdevelopment and a spirit representing a river being so filthy it could be smelled miles away.
- Japanese Heritage, Shinto, and rural Japan. Shinto, the indigenous religion of Japan that teaches all beings have a spirit, can come into play in the world of Ghibli’s films. However, unlike some of the more “politically correct” films of Disney or “New Age” beliefs that are used as novelty in Hollywood, this element is used in a way that does not come off as didactic. Other films do not touch on this aspect, but offer a rather nostalgic view of pre-industrialized Japan and a love of the countryside.
- Hand-drawn animation. In an era of CGI and computer animation, the vast majority of Ghibli’s films are still hand-drawn. While a few bits of recent films have some CGI, what you see on the screen is usually the result of animators using their hands the good old fashion way.
This time, instead of just talking about one piece of work, I thought I’d give a (very) short description of Ghibli’s highlights and personal favorites. Keep in mind, all of their movies are met with massive acclaim and if you have an excuse to watch a Ghibli film, take it.
Spirited Away (2001) – 10-year-old only child Chihiro is moving to a new house in a new town. After taking a wrong turn, her parents take her on a short walk and find themselves in a strange, vacant city. Upon eating some food left out, her parents are turned into pigs and she meets a young boy who offers to help save her. Unfortunately, his plan involves making her a worker in a bathhouse for the spirits in the area — and her new boss has forcibly changed her name and her identity. From here, she can make a journey to save her parents with the help of the strange beings and questionable characters she meets. Miyazaki based Chihiro on a sullen little girl he met, and she’s certainly one of the characters who goes through the most in one of his films.
My Neighbor Totoro (1988) – Sometimes considered Miyazaki’s masterpiece, this features a family who has just moved to a house in the country and the two little girls who are feeling out their new surroundings. Upon getting lost in the nearby forest, 4-year-old Mei finds an enormous furry creature she calls “Totoro,” and while her older sister is skeptical, she just might need his help when Mei goes missing in search of her mother — who is currently in the hospital. Easily Ghibli’s most kid-friendly movie, it still has a small undercurrent of personal pain for director Miyazaki: His mother was often in the hospital during his childhood and they moved often. Still, this film is relentlessly optimistic and creative. Totoro became the mascot for the company afterwords and has briefly showed up in Neil Gaiman’s work and even a South Park episode.
Grave of the Fireflies (1988) – For a movie that was a double-feature with Totoro, this film is a stark contrast to it. A tearjerker, this one is set just as the Japanese are in the final days of WWII. Two children are orphaned and end up fending for themselves and ultimately end up fighting the inevitable. For those of us in the States (and on the winning side of the war), it may be an off-putting notion to think of us as the “bad guys.” However, the film does not point fingers at the Americans or Allied Powers, but rather seems to suggest that the blame for the sadness surrounding these children is all over. For those who made it through Saving Private Ryan or Schindler’s List, this is easily in their league with excellent craftsmanship and powerful storytelling. The film was based on an autobiography from a war survivor, and when the film was made 40 years after the end of the war it was clear that he was not over the terrifying ordeal. This is one not recommended for young children.
Only Yesterday (1991) – Another Takahata film, but one that probably seems to be the most mature of Ghibli’s films. A woman in her late 20s takes time off from her office job in Tokyo to visit and work on her Sister’s in-law’s farm in the northern country. During most of this time she is haunted by memories of 5th grade. Interspersed with her current life and flashbacks to her younger self, she remembers decisions (some made by her, some made for her) that made her who she is today as she thinks more about the direction of her life. A very nostalgic film, this film reminisces about the mid-60s, the fashions of her older sisters, the frustrations of learning complex math, first love, and even kids’ TV shows. An undercurrent of the movie is a discussion of the changing look of rural Japan. This one is a personal favorite, and one of the few animated films that could have worked as a live-action film — except for the very ending which is considered to be one of the best endings to any animated movie. While I may not get the same feel as singing a TV theme song from the 60s, I understand the sentiment, and this is the part that translates the best.
Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) – A young witch follows the tradition of her kind by leaving home for a year and using her powers to help people in another city. However, Kiki’s only major power is flying and even then she manages to run into trees and crash into buildings. Still, she takes this ability and starts a delivery service while helping out at a bakery. This simple formula, like many other stories, is ultimately about growing up and gaining confidence and honing your talents, but Kiki will have a few challenges that push her beyond what she thought she could do. This film is probably the most accessible film for those who have never seen an anime movie, and it even shows up on the Disney Channel or its sister channels. The English version features the last performance by Phil Hartman, who plays Kiki’s wisecracking black cat Jiji — and while he deviates from the script often (he apparently enjoyed ad-libbing on the original work), he adds a silliness to keep the movie light and fun.
So, where can you find all these movies? The good news is that most of the Ghibli films are available in the US thanks to a distribution deal Ghibli made with Disney. After a disastrous experience in the mid-80s, the Ghibli films are uncut and most have an English dub that is faithful to the original. Most of their films can be found in rental shops and movie stores nationwide. There are a few exceptions (the major one being Only Yesterday, which most easily available from the UK via Amazon, although American viewers will need a way to get a region-free DVD player, or use VLC on their computer), but some simple checking will turn up most of their films in the US. A few years back Turner Classic Movies showed a number of them and have been known to air repeats on their schedule.
In short, if you haven’t seen a Ghibli film, check one out ASAP. You won’t be sorry.
Next time: A nomadic traveler rides a talking motorcycle and visits exotic lands and unique characters.
